If the Super Bowl has happened, then we must be in to February. I have observed a growing number of organizations that have a “Souper Bowl” as a way to food-raise for their local food pantry. What a great idea – hope you can take part.

We have heard that we should expect February release of the proposed regulation regarding foods sold in school. We have not heard any updates on when the CACFP new meal pattern will be announced.

Validation reviews for NSLP are scheduled to start in February. It is our plan to notify schools so that we can be assured the personnel will be in place and the school can submit some information ahead of time to expedite the review process.

The User Acceptance Testing of the system to manage the Food Distribution Program is complete. Plans are now underway to provide training this late spring and summer.

Remember to be planning for the changes the School Breakfast Program (SBP), even though there are some efforts to promote the delay. As noted in last month’s Bulletin, while we will not be required to certify breakfast menus, those will be included in the administrative reviews that start next year. An article to guide you on the changes is available on the CNR web page.

School Lunch operators may have questions about their summary of verification. It is critical that this information be reported accurately to demonstrate that schools are accurately using direct certification.

True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation. ~ George Washington

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Summer Sponsors Needed in South Dakota

When school is in session, 59,712 South Dakota children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program. During the summer, those kids are still in need of healthy meals. We are searching for sponsors to continue to prepare and serve meals for the families in communities that qualify.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option (NSLP SSO) aim to provide food service to youngsters when school is not in session. Children under the age of 18 can receive a meal free of charge at a participating site.

Only schools in good standing in NSLP can be approved to operate a NSLP Seamless Summer program. Schools can make a choice between running SFSP, NSLP Seamless Summer or if only feeding the summer school attendees you will do a NSLP extension. NSLP Seamless Summer Option will operate using all the new meal pattern requirements for lunch this year.

Organizations are needed to serve as Summer Food Service Program sponsors. If your school doesn’t want to be a sponsor, please consider being a vendor or partner with another agency in your community to serve the needy children in your community. Entities such as non-profit organizations, schools and local governments can apply to be approved sponsors if they operate in a low-income area, if they serve a group of mostly low-income children, or if they are a summer camp. Multiple sponsors can serve in area eligible locations by collaborating and serving to meet the meal needs of their community.

For returning sponsors, click here to view the new USDA Policy memorandums since last summer which includes 10-2012 through 2009-13,.

To become a participating or sponsoring site, call Child and Adult Nutrition Services at (605) 773-3413. Click here for more information including the 2013 SFSP Handbooks and to view USDA summer food programs filmed in South Dakota. Training for new participants begins in March; registration is due by March 1, click here to register.

Sponsors are always looking for partners to help enhance the program with activities, educational programs, and in other ways to achieve continued participation during the summer. If you are in a community already served by a summer sponsor and want to help, please contact them; the planning process for summer is starting soon!

The Summer Food Service Program and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option are federally funded programs operated nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the South Dakota Department of Education.

USDA Foods Update

South Dakota Food Distribution Trucking Contract

The trucking contract has been a topic of question this past month. So to clarify for everyone, Dizco Trucking Company has entered into contract with South Dakota Food Distribution to again offer deliveries to schools outside of the Sioux Falls area. This was a new contract with Dizco rather than a renewal of the prior contract. Changes in fuel costs, longer distances and smaller loads were determining factors in the increase costs to change the contract.
As with the prior contract – Dizco Trucking (or any contracted trucking company) is responsible to bring the USDA Food from Nordica’s warehouse (or contracted warehouse) to the agencies dock. The agency is responsible to verify the count (manifest) with the driver, sign after corrections are made to driver copy and agency copy, and to place product in appropriate storage (refrigeration, freezer, or dry storage).

Fact Sheets with changes are mailed out at the beginning of the school year and anytime we have a new product. If the nutritional information has changed on an existing item throughout the year we will mail a new fact sheet at that time. Please keep a copy of these fact sheets for future reference near your ordering place. If you need to obtain copies, they can be obtained directly from the individual processor’s website or USDA’s website.

Warehouse Inventory

We are working to reduce inventory at Nordica and all of the processors’ warehouses. Some items will be in short supply. These items will be noted on the order blanks as having very limited quantities.

YOUR MENUS HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED!

Congratulations to the following school districts/agencies that have achieved menu certification. You are commended for your work in meeting the new meal pattern requirements.

November Certifications
Alcester Hudson School District
Belle Fourche School District
Castlewood School District
Centerville School District
Hot Springs School District
Huron School District
Irene Wakonda School District
Madison Central School District
Marion School District
Vermillion School District
Winner School District

December Certifications
Aberdeen School District
Bennett Co School District
Bethesda Lutheran School
Chamberlain School District
Christian Center Elementary
Corsica School District
Custer School District
Dakota Valley School District
Dell Rapids School District
East Dakota Educational Coop
Flandreau Public School District
Gayville Volin School District
Grant Deuel School District
Hill City School District
Jones County School District
Kadoka School District
Marion School District
McCook Central School District
McCrossan Boys Ranch
Pierre Indian Learning Center
Sanborn Central School District
Scotland School District
Sioux Falls School District
Sioux Valley School District
Smee School District
Spearfish School District
St Agnes School District
St Thomas School District
Viborg Hurley School District
White Lake School District

January Certifications
Arlington School District
Avon School District
Beresford
Black Hills Works
Bon Homme School District
Canton School District
Children’s Care Hospital & School
Children’s Home Society
DeSmet School District
Dupree School District
ECCO, Inc
Elkton School District
Eureka School District
Freeman School District
Human Service Agency ATCO
Immaculate Conception School
Ipswich Public School District
Lead Deadwood School District
McLaughlin School District
Meade School District
Milbank School District
Minnehaha Co. Regional Detention Center
New Underwood School District
Northwestern Area School District
Platte Geddes School District
Rapid City Area School District
Rapid City Catholic School System
Summit School District
Watertown School District
Wolsey Wessington School District
Yankton School District

If you are working on your menu certification and need some help, watch the CANS website for upcoming trainings around the state.

Food Safety During a Power Outage

As you know, Superstorm Sandy brought massive power outages to the Eastern seaboard, some of which are still continuing. In the days and weeks that followed the storm's devastation, many consumers had questions about food safety after loss of electricity. And with winter settling in across many parts of the country, snow and ice can often lead to outages, too.

Share these food safety reminders with consumers:

Be Prepared Have appliance thermometers in place in both your refrigerator and freezer. Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep foods cold (store them long-term in your freezer) and know where you can obtain dry ice in your area.

If Power Goes Out... Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

Once Power is Restored... Check the temperatures of the refrigerator and freezer. Never taste food to determine if it's safe and don't depend on how the food looks or smells. Unsafe food can look and smell normal and can make you sick even if you cook it thoroughly. When in doubt, throw it out!
- Refrigerator: If the temperature is at 40 °F or if the power was out for less than 4 hours and you kept the door shut, refrigerated foods should be safe. If the power was off for more than 4 hours, throw out any perishable food that was in the refrigerator, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and leftovers.
- Freezer: If the freezer temperature is at or below 40 °F or if frozen foods still have ice crystals, you can safely refreeze or cook the food.

Be a Star with School Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research studies show that students who have breakfast do better in school. They also can link inappropriate behavior to poor diet.
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) is March 4-8, 2013. Now is a good time to begin planning how to promote your school’s breakfast program during this week. The theme for NSBW 2013 is “Be a Star with School Breakfast”.

Click here for several great resources including menus, toos such as activity sheets, press releases, logos.

The NCCIC Library collection contains over 20,000 summaries and availability information for published documents of interest to policymakers, administrators, practitioners, researchers and other members of the child care community. Links to full-text publications about child care and school-age issues are provided when available. If you go to their library search page you can search their library resources whenever you would like. The NCCIC Library can be found at:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/library/index.cfm?do=oll.search

Plan now for upcoming School Breakfast Program changes – Dietary Specifications Highlight

An article in the December Nutrition Bulletin outlined steps you can take to prepare for the changes to the breakfast program. We will highlight one each month to encourage you to take it a step at a time. Please share ideas you have on what can be done to prepare for the changes and we will pass them along to other agencies.

Calories – as with school lunch now, effective July 1, 2013 (13-14 school year) a calorie range is required for the breakfast Program by age-Grade Groups of K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

Saturated Fat - no change from what was in place prior to the new regulations. No more than 10% of the fat can come from saturated fat.

Trans Fat - effective July 1, 2013 (13-14 school year), there must be zero grams of Trans fat per portion.

Note that the sodium targets for breakfast and lunch do not go into effect until 2014-15.

What can I do this year?

Analyze the calories, fats, and saturated fats in the breakfast menus you serve now. If it is excessive, start to cut back this year. If calories are low, look at ways to increase them by offering healthy additions. Be sure the Trans fat is at zero.

In the new breakfast meal pattern, there are daily minimums and weekly ranges, the same manner as in school lunch.
- 350 - 500 for grades K-5,
- 400 - 550 for grades 6 – 8, and
- 450 - 600 for grades 9 – 12.
Note that there is a very narrow range (450 – 500) that would allow you to use the same breakfast for all grades. If you want to tailor calories more closely to the needs of the individual grade groups, you certainly can do that. Given the concern for providing children with adequate calories in a day, you will want to make that decision with the school administration. In schools where students come in grade by grade, that would be easier. In sites where students come in mixed group as they arrive at school, it will be more challenging.
- Learn to read labels Study the labels if you are not doing this already. These are nutrition facts, CN labels, and food product information sheets - not the advertisements.

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Application NOW available

Who can apply?
Elementary schools that have a high percentage of its students eligible for free/reduced price meals. Preference goes to the highest percentage in the selection process.

Where can I get the application?
Visit the FFVP website: doe.sd.gov/cans/ffvp.aspx
We will mail or fax a copy of the application to any school that cannot access it.

How can I learn more about the program and how to fill out the application?
A Live Meeting Presentation on how the program works and how to fill out the application will be held on Wed., March 6, 2013, 3-5 p.m. (CST)
Visit the FFVP website for more information on the Live Meeting!
In early May, there will be a required training for new participants of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

Team Nutrition Update

Mini Grants Available

2013 Summer Fun with Food and Fitness Mini Grant $1,000 (open until funds are gone) Funds may be used to start a summer garden, walking club, nutrition activity day of week, sponsor a parent night with nutrition and physical activities for the family, introduce the Munch Code materials for making healthy choices, use any of the new Team Nutrition MyPlate curriculum materials, support the tasting for the Amazing Body Tour.

New Healthy Choices Mini Grant $750 (applications due March 1). (Available till funds are gone) Introduce Healthy Choices for concession, vending, school store, fundraising. You may use the SD Department of Health Concession Policy as a guide. They also offer Munch Code materials that help students to make healthy choices. Click here for more information.

2013 Healthier US Challenge mini grants $500. (Funds available until Aug. 31, 2013) These funds are available to help schools defer costs associated with applying for the HUSSC. Can be used to offset additional salary to staff to complete application. Or hire substitute staff for person working on the application.

Summer Harvest of the Month/ School and Youth Gardening Training This is an easy fun way to provide Nutrition Education to Preschool-K, Elementary, Middle School and Out of School Time programs. The lessons are twenty minutes and can be taught by teachers, parents, or volunteers. The training will be held in Sioux Falls July 9-10 and in Rapid City July 23-24. Mini grants to implement Harvest of the Month will be offered to people completing the training.
Amazing Body Tour is still available on the Team Nutrition website.

New HealthierUS School Challenge Guidelines

The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary certification initiative that recognizes excellence in nutrition and physical activity. The new criteria reflects changes to the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The new criteria went into effect on July 1, 2012. All new applications must follow the new criteria.

The Major changes to the criteria include;

New Breakfast Criteria - Schools must participate in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) for the Bronze. For higher level awards they must meet the Average Daily Participation (ADP) for Breakfast. Schools must also meet criteria relating to fruits and/or vegetables, and whole grains.

New “Other Criteria for Excellence” Category. Schools must meet these criteria by selecting from 20 options relating to program outreach, physical activity, nutrition education, and school and community involvement in wellness efforts. The number of options selected depends on the level of certification the school is seeking.

Updated Lunch Criteria - The HUSSC criteria are updated to reflect the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal pattern requirements. They encourage schools to provide a variety of fruits and vegetables and whole grain-rich grains.

ADP Calculation Method Change. Calculations for ADP for NSLP and SBP is based on attendance rather than enrollment. This method is fairer because it doesn’t include children that do not eat Lunch/breakfast in the calculations.

The new HUSSC guidelines also includes changes to the nutrition education and Local Wellness Policy criteria to be consistent with the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Local Wellness Policy Check Up

In the past two years a lot of changes have taken place to meet the requirements of the HHFKA of 2010. Schools have made major changes in their meal patterns for lunch and will be making changes to their breakfast program for the coming school year. Because of the need to make significant changes to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast (SBP) your school may not have had time to implement the strengthened Local School Wellness Policy requirement.

As a review listed below are the requirements outlined in the Healthy Hungry Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010.

1. School districts must designate one or more district officials to annually assess and document the implementation of the local wellness policy.

2. Local wellness policies must establish goals for nutrition education and promotion; physical activity, physical education and promotion; nutrition standards: and other school based activities. Local wellness policy must state that all USDA requirements for Nutrition programs will be followed. Goals are to be developed based on the schools individual needs, resources, challenges, socioeconomic status, school size, rural or urban location, and cultural diversity of community.

3. School districts need to recruit members for the wellness committee or council. Members of the committee must represent the administration, classroom teacher, community member/parent, physical education teacher, school board member, school food authority and/or food service representative, school health professional, student. The local district may have others on the committee at their discretion. Some examples might be a dietician, local business representative, school counselor. Their job is to develop, implement, and assess the Local Wellness Policy.

4. School districts must inform the public about the content, implementation, and progress towards attaining the Local Wellness Policy goals.

The newly revised South Dakota Model Wellness Policy can be found on the Team Nutrition webpage. This tool can help you to review your current policy. The comparison will give you direction on how to proceed to revise and update your policy to meet the new requirements.

Contact Mary Kirk at (605) 773-4718 for more information and technical assistance.

Del Monte Squeezable Fruits and Veggies Tubes

Guidance from the National USDA Office indicate that these are not creditable toward the fruit/vegetable component, but could be served as a dessert or extra. They would be included in the weekly calories unless sold a la carte.

The Basics of Implementing Offer Versus Serve

An updated webinar on how Offer Versus Serve (OVS) works is now available on the CANS Reauthorization page. Look along the right hand side under NSLP/SBP Webinars. Please call the CANS office at (605) 773-3413 if you have any questions.

6. Reduce the sodium in your food
Eating a lot of sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, a risk for cardiovascular disease
Try to avoid adding salt to food at the table, as well as high-sodium foods, which include canned or processed foods, such as soups and frozen dinners

7. Create daily menus
People have a tendency to eat poorly on the spur of the moment. Planning your meals, and sticking to them, is a great way to improve overall wellness and heart health.

8. Allow yourself an occasional treat
It’s important to eat healthy foods most of the time, however, allow yourself an indulgence every now and then. A candy bar or a handful of potato chips wont derail your heart-healthy diet.
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February child nutrition program conference calls

Breakfast Matters - Counting and Claiming in Breakfast in the Classroom
Thurs., Feb. 14 - 3 p.m. ESTRegister here
When schools move breakfast into the classroom, systems for accounting for meals served need to move with them. Join this call to learn how schools are ensuring accountability in their diverse breakfast programs, through a variety of methods – from class lists to electronic point of sale (POS) systems.

Afterschool Meals Matter - Starting the Transition to Afterschool Meals
Wed., Feb. 20 - 1 p.m. EST Register here
The Afterschool Meal Program provides nutritious meals to children during the school year; but when summer break arrives many children are at risk of losing access to those meals. As an Afterschool Meal Program provider, consider transitioning to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) so children in your program will continue to receive the healthy meals they need. Now is the time to start planning your transition to SFSP. Hear from Afterschool Meal Program providers about their experience transitioning to summer meals and learn what steps you can take now to get started.

Update on USDA Policy Memos

The following policies have been issued by USDA and are posted on their website. Other policies have been issued, also, but they relate to state agency operation. Only those specific to local agency operation are included here. Click here to read the complete USDA Policy Memos.

SP19-2013
Paid Lunch Equity: School Year (SY) 2013-2014 Calculations
Requires school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program to ensure sufficient funds are provided to the nonprofit school food service account for meals served to students not eligible for free or reduced price meals. 01-02-13

SFSP 07-2013SFSP Standard Contract Threshold
This memorandum removes the existing SFSP standard contract threshold referenced at 7 CFR 225.6(h)(2) of $10,000 and links it to the Federal small purchase threshold currently set at $150,000 (also knows as the simplified acquisition threshold) thereby creating more uniform procurement requirements for all Child Nutrition Programs. 01-24-13

SFSP 09-2013, CACFP 05-2013 Tax Exempt Status for Private Nonprofit Organizations in CACFP and SFSP
This memorandum provides guidance on using school data when determining area eligibility for purposes of the Child Nutrition Programs in instances where school attendance areas may not accurately reflect the population of the school for which eligibility data is being used. 01-24-13

Coordinated School Health – Working partnership between the SD Departments of Education and Health to coordinate programming to improve the health and educational outcomes of young people.WebpageNews Infused e-newsletter

School Nutrition Association of SD (SNASD)
Keep abreast of what is happening in the State Association by visiting the SNASD website and newsletterWebsiteNewsletter

Fuel Up to Play 60 – Check out this website for resources on healthy eating and physical activity ideas promoting school wellness along with opportunities for obtaining monies for your program. Several contests starting now.WebsiteE-Newsletter